Predictions galore

[Hermes_]

So this got tweeted
let the freak out begin

[DirkGently]

"In an effort to keep the format casual, we're banning sleeves".

What's scary is that the more I think about it, it's almost a good idea. %$#% kitchen table, boys, kitchen floor is the new meta. If your card isn't scuffed white around the edges it's not a real card yet!

[Igzex]

Sleeveless White Boarder only lets go

[RowanKeltizar]

Ban Cyclonic Rift?

Or wait, Smothering Tithe and Dockside Extortionist. That would be funny...

[Serenade]

Color identity update? I would hate it. Don't bow to MaRo.

[Hermes_]

*tin foil hate take*"After selling all of our RL cards only used for commander, we've decided to ban RL cards"

Actual take, It's more than likely about Sheldon's health issues and his place on the RC.

[PrimevalCommander]

One comment stood out to me.

"This tweet could've had just the first and last sentence and avoided that ominous, dread-inducing hook."

They intentionally added an unnecessary cliff hanger to get a speculation storm brewing. Either they are bringing a whole lot of attention for nothing (more likely), or they are about to drop some big bans and they are stirring the pot. I hope it's not a hybrid mana change. I probably won't play any of them anyway for flavor reasons.

Edit: above post real-take is pretty likely

[pokken]

I both want it to be hybrid mana and not.

The downside is Ephara as a deck ends when I can build it with Thopter Foundry it is completely different.

[Sinis]

100%, if I had to guess I'd believe it's Sheldon's health and how the format will be stewarded going forward.

I wish he were in better health; despite all the disagreements I've had with the RC, I think they do a pretty good job of keeping the format clean and sticking to a vision that most players mostly like.

[kirkusjones]

Any buyouts happening? There's a hopeful part of me that wants to pick up a Gifts Ungiven…or perhaps some real longshots, like Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary or Recurring Nightmare.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Any buyouts happening? There's a hopeful part of me that wants to pick up a Gifts Ungiven…or perhaps some real longshots, like Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary or Recurring Nightmare.

I'm no financial advisor, but my wager is that it's finally time to sell your docksides and buy a few gifts. At least I hope. Gifts are like 2 bucks right now, so it's a good spec.

[TheGildedGoose]

100%, if I had to guess I'd believe it's Sheldon's health and how the format will be stewarded going forward.

I wish he were in better health; despite all the disagreements I've had with the RC, I think they do a pretty good job of keeping the format clean and sticking to a vision that most players mostly like.

Agreed 100%. I may have reservations about the overall direction of the format but I like Sheldon personally and wish him the best.

[kirkusjones]

I'm no financial advisor, but my wager is that it's finally time to sell your docksides and buy a few gifts. At least I hope. Gifts are like 2 bucks right now, so it's a good spec.

I can't imagine they'd whack Dockside so soon after a reprint, but I guess WOTC has already made their money off the hype and the chase, so it's no skin off their nose. Grabbed a couple of Gifts because it'd be cool to have another version of Intuition available in blue. They'll probably end up hanging out in my binder with the wishes, but who the hell knows.

[Hawk]

100%, if I had to guess I'd believe it's Sheldon's health and how the format will be stewarded going forward.

I wish he were in better health; despite all the disagreements I've had with the RC, I think they do a pretty good job of keeping the format clean and sticking to a vision that most players mostly like.

I think you're probably right now that I've read it - yes, I suspect the big urgent meeting was about the long-term health of Sheldon, the format, and the RC.

Barring that, I think my most likely votes are...

• Dockside Extortionist banned (the reprint has just made him more toxic and as more and more artifact/treasure/sacrifice synergy is printed he gets more and more oppressive)
• Smothering Tithe and Rhystic Study banned; Mystic Remora on notice (toxic cards, barrier to entry, not something that can accidentally break but definitely warps the game around its existence like Primeval Titan and Prophet of Kruphix before them)
• Gifts Ungiven and Sway of the Stars unbanned (the Worldfire Experiment was a success, so here's some more testing!)
• Tergrid, God of Fright // Tergrid's Lantern banned (almost as odious as Braids as a commander; there is no "banned as commander" policy so she's just perma-banned)
• "Banned as Commander" returns. Tergrid, God of Fright // Tergrid's Lantern is banned as a Commander; they'll also be keeping a wary eye on Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow and Korvold, Fae-Cursed King. Braids, Cabal Minion, Erayo, Soratami Ascendant // Erayo's Essence, and Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary unbanned in the '99, back to banned as Commanders. They'll also watchlist and wait and see on if Golos, Tireless Pilgrim and Leovold, Emissary of Trest could get the same treatment at a later date. But before anyone panics - Griselbrand, Iona, Shield of Emeria, and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn are staying banned forever.

More longshot-y announcements would be...

• Cyclonic Rift banned
• Expropriate banned
• Thassa's Oracle banned
• Coalition Victory unbanned
• Sol Ring banned
• Hybrid works for either color identity (please no)
• Basic lands are exempt from the "color identity" rule, to allow folks to play "Domain" commanders of 2-3 colors.

[kirkusjones]

@Hawk, those are some spicy predictions. I'd be pleasantly surprised to see Banned as Commander come back, especially with the stipulations you've outlined.

[JovialJovian]

They're starting the banlist over from scratch, and are starting by unbanning everything.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

They're starting the banlist over from scratch, and are starting by unbanning everything.

I don't know if I've ever seen you around these parts, but you should pop by more often! I'm a big fan of your work over in custom cards, and it'd be nice to meet the man behind the ideas.

[Dunharrow]

I think you are all missing that there is urgency in this
This has to do with dominaria united. My guess is that there is a card from Legends that they want to ban and they don't want people burning through packs hoping to get it.

Or could be a Plaza of Heroes ban.

[JovialJovian]

Maybe they're finally going to ban the Companion mechanic entirely. Chalk it up to a failure of design and delete it from the format.

[pokken]

100%, if I had to guess I'd believe it's Sheldon's health and how the format will be stewarded going forward.

I wish he were in better health; despite all the disagreements I've had with the RC, I think they do a pretty good job of keeping the format clean and sticking to a vision that most players mostly like.

He confirmed that it was not health related on twitter IIRC

[Venedrex]

Please no gifts ungiven ban, lol the only gifts ya'll are gonna be getting are Thassa's Consultation services. No one is ever going to play gifts ungiven to do anything other than tutor up a two card combo on the end step of their turn 3 after playing a mana rock before untapping and going for a win. What do you think people are going to with the card, find their Mistform Ultimus and a Merfolk Looter? They will choose reanimate, Archaeomancer, thassa's oracle and demonic consultation. Now, if this card is unbanned, every deck with blue and black can win the game with ease if they have 4 mana. Thanks for playing MTG today.

I just can't understand why people want a combo enabler the likes of which has never been seen in the format, outside of a hundred some odd dollar card that only a couple whales play. All I hear about this format is that blue and countermagic are so strong and then people are like, lets give blue their version of Tooth and Nail? Unban Gifts ungiven, and all you will get is every single deck that has blue in it adding it and some combo pieces to their deck. Lets get a price check on the card that people say is fine in the format: Intuition. Oh 186 dollars? Hmm guess it's a bulk rare. I'm sure a card that costs one more mana and does almost the exact same thing won't be just as powerful and obnoxious.

Thankfully, it's probably dockside or something similar getting the axe.

[RedCheese]

They are going to allow any planeswalker be a commander

[TheGildedGoose]

No one is ever going to play gifts ungiven to do anything other than tutor up a two card combo on the end step of their turn 3 after playing a mana rock before untapping and going for a win.

Woefully inaccurate.

Do you think the equally powerful Intuition should get the axe? Gifts is fine. There are much better combo enablers.

[Venedrex]

No one is ever going to play gifts ungiven to do anything other than tutor up a two card combo on the end step of their turn 3 after playing a mana rock before untapping and going for a win.

Woefully inaccurate.

Do you think the equally powerful Intuition should get the axe? Gifts is fine. There are much better combo enablers.

Like what? I don't want to advocate to ban any card, because for most it's too late, I just don't want to give players an additional way to reliably end the game on turn 3-4 using a 4 card instant speed tutor. BTW, if you want to say I'm woefully inaccurate, you're gonna need to provide some reasoning, other than the 186 dollar card that I have never seen played isn't good.

[Hawk]

I think you are all missing that there is urgency in this
This has to do with dominaria united. My guess is that there is a card from Legends that they want to ban and they don't want people burning through packs hoping to get it.

Or could be a Plaza of Heroes ban.

Good point. Plaza doesn't seem banworthy to me, so it could be letting folks know that The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale is finally getting the hammer ahead of the release.